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App Install Permissions

Security, for android devices, is important as it tends to be an open platform and thus receives applications from all kinds of sources. Any developer who has some knowledge of the platform is free to design, develop, test and release apps through the Google Play application store. The application may be designed to carry out tasks on behalf of the device owner which might require permissions that are less than screen deep, so to speak. As you go about downloading and installing applications, you will often meet a screen that has listed down, the permissions that this particular app requires of your device. The permissions are intended to limit the application’s reach into your vast data storage and only perform what it has been designed for without over-reaching into corners that haven’t been designed to tolerate bad apps.

Application install permissions will often as that you only select which permissions you are comfortable with and what you intend to allow for that application to access on your device. You don’t have to select each permission even if this might limit the performance of the application once it has been installed on your device. Permissions such as network access are required for apps that require some kind of network connection in order to access information on the internet. These apps usually require the internet connection to interact with an API on the internet or the cloud and receive or store data belonging to the application user. If you intend to upload information through the mobile application, the internet permissions will be required and you have to allow it as you install your application.

A media player application will require permission to access files on your devices internal storage and memory card. This will enable the application to see what media files you have stored up and access them so as to play them and even show videos that you have on your playlist. These permissions are important and very sensitive as you are getting an application installed on your device. Therefore, you need to seriously consider each permission that is listed out on the installation screen before you allow suspicious apps to gain more control over your device than they really should. Insecure apps might try to reach for your personal information and use networking permissions to make calls or even send your personal security details as an SMS message to a cloud server.

Permissions are usually listed on the first page and require your consent before the application is fully installed onto your device. Going through the listed down permissions that are being requested for by your device will ensure that you have a clearer picture of what the application is going to be doing on your device and even estimate the functionality that you are going to benefit from the said permissions. Permissions also protect your data and ensure that you are not giving out information or giving one application more freedom than it deserves to provide you with the usefulness that you expect from it.